Mr. Speaker, the justice minister was a parliamentary secretary in the Mulroney government. Now evidence suggests that he or his office tried to avoid responsibility by selectively receiving and evading information on the Schreiber affair.

Will the minister do the right thing and recuse himself from the file to avoid the perception that his personal connections are interfering with his ministerial responsibilities?

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member may be a bit of an expert on that administration. I think he was the head of the young PCs of Nova Scotia at the time. Was it called youth for Mulroney? I forget.

I am very pleased and proud to have served under three justice ministers, three distinguished Canadians, as a member of the House of Commons. I am seized with the responsibility now as justice minister and I take that responsibility very seriously. I will exercise those responsibilities carefully.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians deserve the truth and Mr. Mulroney deserves a process that is impugnable. Briefing notes were prepared for the minister. His office evaded them. Wilful ignorance is no excuse. A justice minister should seek the truth. He should not seek to avoid the truth.

When will the minister do the right thing and recuse himself from the Schreiber affair?

Mr. Speaker, it is a bit much to be getting lectured by the Liberal Party on moral matters.

Just yesterday, the House will remember that the Liberals were advising us to release the tax information of a Canadian citizen. Did that bother anybody on that side of the House? Did anybody have a problem with advice to do something illegal? I ask that of the hon. member.

Mr. Speaker, we have put into place, what I think most reasonable Canadians would agree with, with respect to the allegations made in the civil lawsuit, the appointment of Dr. Johnston and the promise of a public inquiry.

With respect to the extradition matter, I have the support of the best legal team in Canada. I take those responsibilities very carefully.

Mr. Speaker, the minister clearly is in a conflict when it comes to the Schreiber file. The minister must have an impartial person review Mr. Schreiber's extradition, so the most crucial witness will be able to testify in person at the public inquiry.

Mr. Speaker, again, it is a bit rich to be getting lectured by the Liberal Party and getting advice.

I still have not heard any answer to my question to those members. Was there anybody in the Liberal Party bothered by advice they were giving yesterday for us to commit illegal activity with respect to the tax files of an individual Canadian? It was clearly illegal, but it does not seem to bother anybody on that side of the House. They should be ashamed of themselves.

Mr. Speaker, in May of this year, our government signed an agreement with Afghanistan regarding the transfer of detained Taliban prisoners and insurgents. This arrangement improved on that of our Liberal predecessors and since its signing, there has been real progress in Canada's monitoring and tracking of detainees.

Mr. Speaker, as I said, we are visiting and interviewing Taliban prisoners on a regular basis. Officials have conducted 32 interviews. As a NATO spokesman said yesterday, “We have no evidence of systematic torture of detainees”.

During a recent visit, Canada's officials did see a Taliban prisoner with conditions that concerned them. Our officials are following up on media reports that the Afghan government has announced an investigation. The allegation has come to light because we have a good agreement with the Afghan government.

Mr. Speaker, there is not one Canadian who does not understand the significance of Karlheinz Schreiber staying in this country. He has an extradition hearing tomorrow. The minister has both the discretion and the responsibility to go into court, seek an adjournment tomorrow and keep Mr. Schreiber in this country so we can get to the bottom of this scandal. It encompasses the Liberal previous administration and this administration.

Mr. Speaker, there is a process in place that was started by the previous Liberal justice minister of this country, and again the matter is before the Court of Appeal. There will be a decision handed down tomorrow and I think we should wait for that decision.

Mr. Speaker, it is obvious he is not going to exercise his discretion or his responsibility.

Will he try this? Will he seek from the German government authority that it will see to it that Mr. Schreiber will return here at any time that we require him to appear in front of the public inquiry? Will he do at least that much to protect the interests of Canadians?